Closure device for containers



9 1950 'r. E. PIAZZE 2,520,335

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Filed April 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l K INVENTOR.

520 Ha a, WWVWW Aug. 29, 1950 T. E. PIAZZE 2,520,335

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Filed April 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zgg gzvrox. 7720772425 La, 6, BY

Patented Aug. 29, 1950 CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Thomas E. Piazze, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor to Shellmar Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application April 22, 1947, Serial No. 743,112

Claims.

The present invention has to do with closure devices for containers. More particularly, 'it has to do with an improved type of closure device particularly adaptable for use inconjunction with flexible disposable containers, and the provision of such a device as well as a closure and flexible disposable container combination are principal objects of the invention.

This invention is a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 668,267, filed May 8, 1946, now abandoned.

The invention has particular utility, for example, With the use of infants flexible disposable feeding bottles made of such materials as Cellophane, rubber hydrochloride, polyethylene, and the like. Such containers are finding a ready market because of the fact that they can be kept sterile until used and also because they are disposable after a single use. In" addition to this, such containers, because of their flexibility, will readily be collapsed during use, thereby preventing the creation of a vacuum therein, conse quently minimizing infants colic which is otherwise prevalent as the result of the use of conventional glass bottles.

In its broader aspects, the invention has for one of its objects the provision of a closure device for such containers comprising a caphaving an extension to be inserted into the open end of a container, a flexible sealing member to fit over the extension and to hold the container end in position, and a locking member adapted to fit over the sealing member and to compress the container end into sealed engagement with the closure extension.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a container closing device for flexible disposable containers of the type embodying a tube closed at one end and having; particular utility as an infants nursing bottle, comprising in combination a cap member having an extension with spaced apart peripheral grooves therein adapted to be inserted withinthe open marginal end of a container, a flexible sealing member, such as a rubber ring, to fit around one of the grooves temporarily to hold sameand the container operatively'in hermetical ly sealed condition with respect to the cap member.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, with parts in section, of a bottle closure device and a flexible disposable container arranged in explode-d alignment, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and depicting the manner of assembling the same;

Fig. 2 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 depicting the flexiblecontainer inserted over an extension of the cap member;

Fig. 3 is a View showing the body of the con-- tainer tucked within the cap member after the ing member, the application of the locking member serving to roll the sealing member out of its initial position to its final locking position;

Fig. 6 illustrates the closurecap device holding the cont'ainer in locked and hermetically sealed position bymeans of the locking member; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a cap member [0 having an extension H adapted to fit within a container I2 This-container preferably isof the extruded tubular type or of the seamed'tubular type having a transverse seal [3 across the bottom.

The extension H of the'cap member IU' preferably has two peripheralgrooves l4 and I5. The

remaining portions constituting the closure deviceconsi'sts of a sealing ring member IJE, preferably made of naturalrubber, and a locking ring l-r which is" internally ta ered preferably as at lfland l 9 'respectively. The purpose of this type of double'taper is to make'this" locking member operate in either direction.

In use, the extension II of the cap member ID is inserted within the open end portion of the container I2 as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen that, during the course of assembling the bottle closure cap and container assembly, the sealing ring I6 has been placed over the marginal portion of the container I2 in such a manner that the ring l6 initially is seated in the groove l4 around the container. This helps locate the container I2 in proper position, bringing it in alignment with respect to the extension II of the cap member ID. As a matter of convenience, the remaining .portion of the container may be tucked in the cap member as illustrated so that it is in an out of the way position.

Thereafter, in continuing the assembly of the device, the locking ring I! is brought into position as shown in Fig. 4. It is within the contemplation of the invention to have a single taper but by having both tapers I8 and I9, it is possible to apply the locking ring in either direction.

The locking ring I? first engages the sealing ring I6, and as it is pressed upwardly into position the sealing ring becomes flattened as it is rolled out of the groove I4 in the direction of the peripheral groove I5. The space therebetween forms a locking shoulder, or landed portion, 20. As the locking ring is advanced along the cap extension I I, it continues to roll the sealing ring I6 past the locking shoulder 20 until it becomes sealed within the annular groove I5, thereby holding the container portion in compressed engagement peripherally within the groove in an hermetically sealed position with respect to the extension II on the cap member II).

In the modification shown in Fig. l the skirt III of the cap member IIO does not have a peripheral groove. However, the locking member II! can be equipped with one or more of such grooves, as indicated generally at H5, to look a marginal peripheral portion of a container II 2 against a sealing ring I I6.

The sealing ring IS in the groove I5, compressed by the locking member I! holds all parts in locked engagement during use.

It is within the contemplation of the invention to utilize one or more peripheral grooves in such a manner as to provide locking shoulders in conjunction with tapered counterparts on other portions of the locking device. Also, it is Within the contemplation of the invention to provide the locking member I! with a single taper as well as with grooves corresponding to those illustrated in the extension I I.

After the container is filled through the open end of the cap member ID a nipple can be applied on the shouldered neck portion 2| and the same is ready for use.

The closure device has been described as being particularly adaptable for use in conjunction with flexible disposable containers especially useful for infants feeding bottles, but other uses for the invention will readily occur to those skilled in other related arts.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and efliciently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a'limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. In a closure device for flexible disposable containers, a cap member having an extension with a peripheral annular groove adapted to be inserted into the open end of said container, a resilient sealing ring member adapted to fit over said extension when said extension is positioned in said container end, said ring member being adapted to hold said marginal container end thereagainst, and a rigid band-like locking member adapted to fit over said sealing member and to compress said container end into sealed engagement with said closure extension and into locked engagement with said annular groove.

2. In a closure device for flexible disposable containers, a cap member having an extension with a peripheral annular groove adapted to be inserted into the open end of the container, a resilient sealing ring member of slightly less internal diameter than the external diameter of said extension adapted to fitover said extension when said extension is positioned in the end of the container and to hold said container end thereagainst, and a locking member having an internally tapered surface, said locking member being adapted frictionally to engage said sealing member and compress it into locked engagement with said extension, thereby hermetically to seal said containertherebetween.

3. The combination of a flexible disposable container with a closure device comprising a cap member having an extension adapted to be inserted into the open end of said container, a flexible sealing ring member of a size adapted to fit over said extension and to hold said marginal container end thereagains't, and a locking member having an internally tapered surface being of a size to frictionally engage said sealing member and compress it into locked engagement with said extension, whereby hermetically to seal said container therebetween.

4. In a closure device for a flexible disposable container, a cap member having an extension with spaced apart peripheral grooves therein, said cap member being adapted to be inserted into the marginal end of said container, a stretchable sealing member adapted to fit around the outer one of said grooves to temporarily hold said con tainer in position, and a locking'band member having a tapered innersurface, said band member being adapted friction-ally to engage said sealing member and to advance the same from its initial position to the inner one of said grooves lockingly to hold the said container in operative position with respect to said cap member.

5. In a closure device for flexible disposable containers, a cap member having an extension with spaced apart peripheral grooves therein adapted to be inserted into the'open end of said container, a flexible sealing member adapted to fit the outer one of said grooves temporarily to hold said container in position, and a locking band member having a tapered internal surface adapted to .fit over said sealing'member and to compress said container end into sealed engage ment with'said closure extension and lockingly to hold the cap sealing member; and locking member 5 in fixed position with the marginal container end Number therebetween. 307,555 THOMAS E. PIAZZE. 548,890 567,610 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,173,553 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 99 Number Name Date 10 113,394 Brown Apr. 4, 1871 Name Date Kline Nov, 4, 1884 Scales Oct. 29, 1895 Philip Sept. 15, 1896 Burdick et a1. Feb. 29, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great iBritain 1902 

